If he wants to honor the new wife, he needs to do it with something that wasn't already named in honor of his deceased wife. If he has kids by his previous wife, he's risking their permanent resentment.

I think the most practical thing to do would be to call it the *surname* building. Donor's names are represented, you don't have a long building name, and in the case of subsequent divoreces or deaths everyone can be represented (assuming that the surname is held in common by both partners). Any history of the building can give credit to both partners at the time of donation.

I wonder how he'd feel if the situation was reversed- or if, should his current wife survive him and remarry, she does the same thing.

How fun would that last option be if she did and added her new husband?

It could go from:the Mary and Bob Smith Bldg to the Ann and Bob Smith Bldg tothe Ann and Jim Johnson Bldg

The university would *have* to love that right?

And if she passes away and he remarries, it could be the Ginger and Jim Johnson building.

If this sort of thing becomes a habit of entitled people all over, maybe all building names from donors should be placed on the building with those plastic letters with the magnets in them I remember from when my sisters were little.

I agree that the classy thing to do would be for him to take his name off: Instead of the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Theatre, let it be the Dolores Ziff (Memorial) Theatre. If he and the new wife want to endow something else down the road that would be named after the two of them, they can, but not this. It's just all kinds of tacky.